Barbarian 5/Strength Rogue X Damage

[langal]

Anyone try this build?

I'm thinking 5 levels of barbarian with Shield Master (my DM allows the shove to come before attacks).

And then switching over to Rogue (Thief).

I notice that Barbarian damage scaling is very incremental after level 5 and with this build, I can pretty much guarantee a sneak attack whenever I need. Expertise with Athletics would make shoving a breeze and there is always reckless attack. I would also take Mobile to be able to get out of combat (with 50 feet movement so less need to burn bonus action on Dash), and Fast Hands to don/doff a shield when I really need an offhand attack to greatly improve the chance to hit and get sneak attack damage. It would give me shove, offhand attack, don/doff shield, cunning action options with Bonus actions since I like the versatility to tank/skirmish/flee/etc.

How does the damage compare to the typical GWM build? I figure it comes out about even. GWM would give 20 more damage per round with decreased hit chance while every 2 levels of rogue would give an extra d6 so going rogue actually sort of scales better. I suppose I can even take GWM if I really want to encompass all styles but that is spreading out the ASIs to thin - and negates sneak attack and Shield Master.

[hymer]

I notice that Barbarian damage scaling is very incremental after level 5
+3.5 points per turn of damage with a finesse weapon for every two levels after fifth isn't exactly exploding your damage either. 'zerkers at least get a reaction attack at level 14.


I can pretty much guarantee a sneak attack whenever I need.
If this is your aim, have you considered Swashbuckler?


Fast Hands to don/doff a shield when I really need an offhand attack to greatly improve the chance to hit and get sneak attack damage.
Your DM may see it differently, but I would not say the action to don a shield is Use an Item. If he does, you could push the envelope by using a twohanded weapon plus shield. Free item interaction to doff your shield, make your attacks, then bonus item interaction to don the shield.

[NaughtyTiger]

I had tried a similar build, but the PC perma-died before I got to level 3.

what flavor barbarian?
what flavor rogue? i agree swash is reasonable

[Talionis]

Honestly this build is good because it fights like John Wick, you have two attacks from Barbarian but often you only need one to trigger Sneak Attack so the second can be a grapple. You grapple to create your own cover which adds AC.

[Mitsu]

You grapple to create your own cover which adds AC.

Does it really work that way?

[langal]

I had tried a similar build, but the PC perma-died before I got to level 3.

what flavor barbarian?
what flavor rogue? i agree swash is reasonable

Bear Totem for the tankiness.

Was thinking Thief for the fast hands to don/doff shield (which Crawford said was okay) and taking Mobile. Swashbuckler saves me a Feat but I can't get the bonus action Shield don/doff. But i would be either Thief or Swashbuckler.

I basically want to make sure the DPR is at least competitive with what a "standard" GWM barbarian would be. It does appear to be so. The sneak attack damage eventually catches up to the GWM damage - and with higher chance to hit without having to go Reckless all the time.

[Alucard89]

I played simillar build but Gloom Stalker 5/Inquisitive 15. I was getting advantage either while being in darkness (Umbral Sight) or as bonus action (Insight) check, which was easy with double proficiency and 9/10 enemies have both low charisma nad low deception. Both classes benefited highly from my high Wisdom as Gloom Stalker gives bonus to initiative and Inqusitive uses Insight a lot.

Was playing High Elf for Booming Blade cantrip to combo with Sneak Attack.

On level 11 in first turn I could deal (with rapier):

3d8 + 2d8 + 1d8 + 5 + 3d6, for total 42, 5 damage in first turn. Extra 3d8 if target moved after being hit, which would increase overall damage by another 13,5, so total 56 dmg.

Elven Accuracy + Mobile feat.

It was working really nicely and I was playing it as spy character but with talent for wet work when needed.

I imagine Half Elf Drow Hexblade 5/Inquisitive 15 would also work great with option to attach Eldricht Smites to your critical hits (extra 8d8 with auto-prone).

[Man_Over_Game]

Does it really work that way?

Not against that creature, but yes against pretty much anything else.

1/2 Cover explicitly says that it can come from an enemy or an allied creature in the way of your shot.


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With the fact that the Barbarian can grant himself his own Sneak Attack, you're best playing a Rogue that doesn't have its own Sneak Attack activation method.

The ones in mind are:
Arcane Trickster
Thief
Mastermind
Scout.

Take out the spellcaster and the noncombatants, and you're left with the Scout. Since you're always adjacent to an enemy, you'll be able to move around in combat VERY well.

As to which Barbarian, that's a little more open-ended. As a regular attacker, consider something like Elk for the movement, Bear for the tankiness. If you want to utilize Grapples and get a LOT of synergy from Reckless Attack, really consider the Battlerager, which gives you health back every time you Reckless Attack (which should be often).